Networks are used in a variety of settings to record, manipulate, and/or transfer data. The networks utilize computing devices and other hardware components (i.e., network components) that are electrically and/or optically coupled to communicate information.
The computing devices and other hardware components can, for example, record and transmit data to and/or from network components. The coupling of these computing devices and the other hardware components creates a network where each computing device and/or other hardware component can communicate with each other through the network.
There are a variety of types of networks, including local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs), such as an intranet and the Internet. The interconnections in modern communications networks, such as LANs or WANs, originate from copper cabling. Copper cabling has been used because it was relatively inexpensive and robust.
As the bandwidth demands for the networks increase, point-to-point interconnections have become the standard connection type. Point-to-point interconnections have led to the development of the overall topology and functionality of large global networks.
Bandwidth demand has continued to increase and fiber optic cabling has begun to replace copper. Multi-mode optical fiber cable and single-mode optical fiber cable have been introduced to these network types.
Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) photonic technology has been developed to increase the capacity of a single, single-mode fiber optic cable. However, this photonic technology is implemented as point-to-point interconnections and the functionality of these networks has remained the same as those developed for the point-to-point interconnections.
Internet protocol (IP) routing with point-to-point interconnects over photonic technology has a limitation in that the IP packets are converted from optical to electrical to optical along the network. This conversion is utilized so that the information associated with the IP packet can be read correctly and routed along the network at the various routers that are located throughout the network.